3rd ODI, ENG Vs RSA, 2025 Highlights : England Crushed South Africa In Their Last ODI Encounter .

3RD ODI, ENGLAND Vs SOUTH AFRICA , SOUTHAMPTON, 2025 HIGHLIGHTS : England Crushed South Africa In Their Last ODI Encounter .

England posted the largest victory margin in one-day international cricket on Sunday with a 342-run win over South Africa. Pacer Jofra Archer claimed four wickets as England earned a small consolation win to deny South Africa a series clean sweep in the third and final ODI. Opting to bat after losing the toss, England posted 414 for 5 in 50 overs at Southampton’s Rose Bowl with hundreds from Joe Root (100) and 21-year-old Jacob Bethell (110). Jos Buttler hammered 62 not out from 32 balls. Opener Jamie Smith contributed 62 off 48 balls. In response, South Africa was bowled out for 72 in 20.5 overs after slumping to 24-6. However, Temba Bavuma was injured while fielding and unable to bat. Archer claimed four wickets for just five runs in his opening five overs and ended up with figures of 4-18 in nine overs. England Crushed South Africa In Their Last ODI Encounter .

TOSS-

South Africa won the toss and decided to bowl.

PLAYING XI-

England Squad:

Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid

South Africa Squad:

Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Wiaan Mulder, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Codi Yusuf, Nandre Burger

ENGLAND-

Having chosen to bowl, South Africa were unable to contain England’s openers, the men who paved the way for England’s dominant display with the bat. Smith added 59 for the opening wicket with Ben Duckett (31 off 33 balls) and a further 58 with Root for the second-wicket, only to fall himself for a rapid 48-ball 62, his second half-century of the series. Root was subsequently joined by Bethell and the duo added 182 runs in 24 overs at a RPO of more than 7.5.

While the calm head of the old hand Root steered the ship, the really incendiary hit came from no:7 Bethell, who smashed his way to a 76-ball century – not only his first in international but his first at all professional level. He controlled the third-wicket partnership with Root, eventually reaching 110 from 82 balls to leave some final overs target-setting to England’s finishers. Root, who batted well under a strike rate of 100 through most of that partnership – such was the disparity between his scoring and Bethell’s – finally let it loose at the back-end, half-century off 95 balls a prelude to reaching three-figures. He hadn’t been able to follow it up.

By then, however, Buttler had taken command. He arrived with purpose and wasted little time about it, racing to three boundaries in a 20-run over by Wiaan Mulder and then treating spin and pace with equal disdain as he reached his half-century from 27 balls. Will Jacks did his bit in an eight-ball cameo, while an unbeaten 19 from 10 deliveries took England beyond 400 in the first ball of the final over before Buttler added three more shots to the boundary during the second half of their assault to guide his side to a seventh 400-plus score in the last 10 years.

The 414/5 wasn’t entirely without help either as South Africa gave away 27 of those runs in extras, a staggering 19 of those through wides. Corbin Bosch (2 for 79) and Keshav Maharaj (2 for 61) cost runs but were the only bowlers to strike for the tourists.

SOUTH AFRICA-

England’s defence was away to a dream start. He took wickets in each of his opening three overs, including two wicket-maidens. He got rid of the dangerous Aiden Markram, who had been on very good form, who edged one short and wide on the off side behind on only the second ball of the towering chase. Ryan Rickleton prodded at a delivery that shaped out just enough to find the edge to Buttler. Archer then halted Matthew Breetzke’s sequence of five fifties from five matches with a short one that got big on him, took the top edge and left an easily accepted third take for the wicketkeeper.

Meanwhile, Wiaan Mulder was greeted by a bouncer from Archer and scratched around for just 7 balls before departing to Brydon Carse in the second over of the innings without bothering the scorers. The writing was on the wall for the visitors at 7 for 4 in first-half of their PowerPlay. Archer took his fourth when Tristan Stubbs (10) fell after contributing the first 10 of South Africa’s 18.

The only resistance of note came from the tail with Keshav Maharaj (17) and Bosch (20) giving some brief fight thanks to a 30-run stand to help their side manage something resembling a face-saving three-figure mark. That, however, was not to be as Adil Rashid mopped up the tail to collect 3 for 13 from his 3.5 overs. South Africa were bowled out for 72 in less than 21 overs in the absence of captain Temba Bavuma, who was unable to bat because of a niggling hamstring.

After putting up a fine all-round display in the first ODI to claim it with ease by seven wickets, the visitors managed to hold on in the second by five runs in the last-ball nail-biter to take the series, but they were totally outplayed in the third to give England a consolation win – which now happens to be the biggest victory margin by runs in the format.

Brief scores:

England 414/5 in 50 overs (Jacob Bethell 110, Joe Root 100, Jos Buttler 62\*, Jamie Smith 62) beat South Africa 72 all out in 20.5 overs (Jofra Archer 4-18, Adil Rashid 3-13, Brydon Carse 2-33) by 342 runs.